As winter comes upon us.

Maybe you are like me, a summer person. I love summer, warm weather, long days. Give me a season to choose and it will always be summer. Winter to me is, cold mornings, flu epidemics, high heating costs! I'm also a member of the snow haters club, as it produces slush and bad road conditions! There are some good things, warm evenings with the family, knowing on days off I can, if I wish, snuggle further down into my bed!
But if we didnt have the seasons, if we didnt have winter, we wouldent appreciate summer so much. Its interesting that in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrope" by C S Lewis that the reign of evil is seen as having the affect of winter, and that as Aslam approaches, and good comes over the land of Narnia, spring comes ushering in summer.
This leads me to think of my own spiritual journey, that the difficult times are needed for me to fully appreciate the good times. I often need hardship to make me yearn for (Aslan) for Jesus!
In dayly life tiredness is rewarded by sleep, hunger by food, cold by warmth. So in my spiritual journey I may not like "winter", but if it makes me yearn for the comming of Aslan (Jesus) then this in itself is a blessing! Scripture tells us, "That all things work together for those who love God, who are called according to His purposes". Maybe you are like me, you yearn for blessing so much you dont appreciate the times of trials! If this life was all blessings and joy I wouldent yearn for Heaven. Yes I still prefer summer to winter, joy rather that harships, but we need the season in nature, and in our spiritual journey!